Explanation:
The colours of the solar system's
innermost planet
are enhanced in
this
tantalizing view,
based on global image data from the
Mercury-orbiting MESSENGER
spacecraft.
Human eyes would not discern the
clear colour differences but they are real none the less, indicating distinct
chemical, mineralogical, and physical regions across the
cratered surface.
Notable at
the upper right, Mercury's large, circular, tan coloured feature
known as the Caloris basin was created by an impacting comet
or asteroid during the solar system's
early years.
The ancient basin was subsequently flooded with lava from
volcanic activity, analogous to the formation of the
lunar maria.
Colour contrasts also make the
light blue and white young crater rays,
material blasted out by recent impacts, easy to follow
as they extend across a darker blue,
low reflectance terrain.